The Chair of the Central Election Commission (CEC) presented the election results during the first session of the new Parliament of Georgia today. Following the election of members for the Temporary Vote Counting Commission and the Mandate Commission, Giorgi Kalandarishvili provided a detailed overview of the parliamentary elections held on October 26, 2024. He emphasized that the election administration remains committed to its principles, steadfastly pursuing modernization while upholding high professional standards and fostering progress in the election administering process.

“Over the years, we have implemented innovations to enhance transparency, streamline processes, and create a more accessible and voter-friendly environment. This endeavor is more than a mere procedural enhancement - it stands as a testament to our dedication to fostering inclusiveness within the democratic process. I firmly believe that the initiatives undertaken nearly two years ago to implement election technologies, introduced in response to legislative changes, represent a significant leap toward the modernization of elections and mark a pivotal milestone in our country’s history. For nearly 2 years, we worked diligently to ensure the October 26, elections were conducted at the highest standard. Our efforts culminated in an operation of remarkable scale, and we can confidently say that the election process was carefully planned and successfully executed at every stage.

On Election Day, approximately 15,000 machines were utilized, with only 20 units (0.1%) experiencing malfunctions. Despite this, the election process proceeded seamlessly, and there was no need to revert to traditional voting methods at any polling station, noted the Chair of the CEC. As he stated, the election administration operated through coordination with relevant agencies and active consultations with all involved parties, while incorporating international best practices at every stage of the process. According to him, a significant step toward transparency and publicity was the development of four new collaboration formats with local NGO, international organizations, experts, and media representatives. These initiatives allowed the election administration to share its perspectives on various important issues more openly.

According to Giorgi Kalandarishvili, the elections were held in a polarized environment: “Despite this, and under immense pressure, we successfully managed the election process, including presenting the preliminary results of the parliamentary elections to the public within an hour and 45 minutes. This achievement is a true testament to our logistical efficiency”.

For the first time in the October 26 elections, the election administration, in collaboration with the Smartmatic company, implemented electronic technologies on such a large scale. Despite attempts to sabotage the machines and even damage them on election day, as I mentioned, there was no need to revert to traditional voting methods in any of these areas.

“Both disinformation and manipulative content from various parties were consistently spread before and during the election day in an effort to discredit the CEC. Despite efforts and pressure to discredit the institution, both the CEC and the district and precinct election commissions organized the elections with the utmost professionalism. We conducted all our activities in full compliance with the legislation, which was essential for ensuring the integrity of the entire election process.

Various stakeholders made significant efforts to undermine public trust in our work and the results we presented. However, despite operating under such conditions, the elections were administered effectively, as confirmed by the reports from several international observation missions. These include preliminary statements, assessments, and conclusions concerning election day from the OSCE/ODIHR, the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, and the European Platform for Democratic Elections.

The proper functioning of the electronic technologies was confirmed by PRO V&V, an American company accredited by the relevant U.S. authority and one of only two companies with such accreditation. They officially provided a conclusion after reviewing all three stages, which confirms the correct operation of the devices and addresses the widespread myths and questions surrounding the technologies”, - said the Chair of the CEC.

On behalf of the election administration, he expressed gratitude to the voters for their participation in the elections, to state institutions and private organizations for their support and cooperation in conducting information campaigns and the overall election administration process, to the diplomatic missions accredited in Georgia for their involvement and monitoring of the election process, to local and international observer organizations, the media, and all stakeholders, who, while fulfilling their rights and duties, were guided by the legislation and their professionalism, as well as partner international organizations for their contribution in supporting the process.

He also thanked the election administrators who, despite minor flaws, successfully ensured that the freedom of expression, secrecy of the vote, and fundamental rights of voters were protected.

After the speech, Giorgi Kalandarishvili handed over the necessary documentation for the recognition of the authority of the members of Parliament to the Temporary Mandate Commission, which, in turn, validated the members" authority with the unified list submitted by the commission. Following this, the members of Parliament took an oath of loyalty to the country, with the text read by the Chair of the CEC in accordance with parliamentary regulations.